Sir Tony Blair has issued a stark warning to the Labour Party, urging it to adopt a "radical centre" approach to regain electoral success. In his most significant intervention since leaving office, the former prime minister argues that the party must prioritise policy delivery over internal politics.
Blair criticises the current government under Sir Keir Starmer for governing from a "traditional Labour 'soft left' position", which he says hampers growth. He points to policies such as new workers' rights laws, net zero acceleration, and minimum wage increases as creating "headwinds, not tailwinds, to British business".
The former leader also warns that the party lacks a "worked-out, coherent plan for the country in a fast-changing world". He dismisses early calls for a leadership change, stating that "trying to force the prime minister out before we know what policy direction we're bringing in is not a serious way of conducting ourselves".
Blair emphasises that the party must focus on the "what" rather than the "who", and that any leadership debate is irrelevant without a prior policy debate. He concludes that Labour is "playing with fire" and risks its future if it does not change course.
